Death of All Morale
by ZephyrX9
Summary: Why Red Alert rarely fights.


Death of All Morale

It was a boring night at the Ark. A rare rain had swept through and several Autobots were stuck inside, talking and playing with each other and the mechs who were off duty.

"Frag this! I need to stretch my wings!" Slingshot grouched.

Inferno just sighed. "Ya can't go outside. The rain would knock you into the said that only the more maneuverable trucks could go out."

"Oh, and what do you call yourself, Mr. I'm-A-Big-Firetruck?" Sideswipe jeered.

"So you've decided to reformat into a firetruck, bro? I wouldn't do it, if I were you. Your aft is already big enough," Sunstreaker commented. This earned him a glare from his red brother, which the yellow robot simply shrugged off.

"You should reformat too, Sunstreaker," Skydive smirked. "You're…_custom_, as you put it, alternate mode doesn't exactly fit in with the whole 'disguise' aspect." The yellow robot just began examining his armor for scratches.

"Slingshot's right, though. It's not fair how Prime, Blaster, and some others get to go out," Sideswipe frowned. He had wanted to pull a prank on Brawn that day, but the minibot had gone with the Autobots whose alternate modes could handle the rain.

"Speaking of going out, did ya' see me out in battle last week! I was tearing' up Dirge like it wasn't anyone's business!" Slingshot grinned. He couldn't go through a day without bragging a little.

"Here we go again." If Sunstreaker could roll his optics, he would've.

"It's a shame that not everyone was in battle to see me! In fact, why isn't your spa of a brother ever out to fight? Is he too chicken?" Slingshot smirked, but then he saw the look on the Twins and Inferno's faces.

Inferno's face had a sort of cold anger on it, while the Twins were both stunned by this statement. There was a long silence, which the firetruck promptly broke. "I'm gonna let you off with a warnin'. Don't insult Red Ahlert's skill evar again."

Skydive just looked curious. "Slingshot is right, though. Some of the others are fairly qualified for security duty, and he's not a pacifist like First Aid or Beachcomber. Even Ratchet's gotten into brawls with the 'Cons. So why doesn't Red fight more?"

Inferno shared a sad look with the Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. Then he exhaled a long breath. "I nevah wanted to tell this story again, but you two have done it. Long ago, Red Alert had a bondmate…"

_Red Alert smiled as he walked down the hall. He stepped into his office and flicked on the vidscreen. A smiling purple-and-pink face looked at him then._

_ "Hello, Flip Sides," the security officer greeted her, sighing as he looked into her optics._

_ "Hello, my sweet. How is the Energon_ _mining going where_ _you are?" She queried softly._

_ "I'm afraid those Decepticons have taken a good seventh of it," the white robot replied drily. "My security team was too slow. How is your science team doing?" _

_ "Strika is growing worried that the 'Cons will strike soon, especially now that we've taken in Lancer and Greenlight."_

_ "Ah, yes, the two apprentices. Did Strika check them like I told her to?" Red Alert queried. _

_ "They're fine, Red," The smaller robot giggled._

"They were happy as me and Firestar are. However, shortly after the Elite Guard's battle at Median, Red received shocking news…"

_"Come in," Red Alert muttered in reply to a knock on his door. The door slid open to reveal Elite Guard officer Roadfire. The tall mech had to crouch to get through the door. He was cradling a datapad._

_ "Get on with it. I have forms to fill, you know!" The smaller mech snapped._

_ "Red Alert, Autobot High Command is regretful to inform you that your bondmate Flip Sides has joined with the enemy and is now considered a traitor," the Guardsman said, somewhat miffed. This brought him the security officer's attention._

_ Red Alert shook his head. "Th-that's not possible." He began to claw at his face. "No, she can't…We were going to spark…" A short crackle emerged from his computer, and his optics turned black and he fell to the floor. Roadfire cursed and picked up the smaller officer, hauling him off to the medical bay._

"We didn't see him again until after the Siege of Iacon, during a fight at Darkmount…" Sunstreaker and Sideswipe started after Inferno left off.

_Red Alert was trying to snipe one of Megatron's many Seekers when he saw her. Flip Sides was grappling with Bluestreak, taking advantage of the sniper's poor melee skills. Optimus saw what he was looking at._

_ "Don't do it, Red Alert!" He yelled, but the officer was running towards her, a look of rage on his face. Before the Autobot leader could stop him, he was tackled by Ramjet, the white jet smashing him back._

_ When Flip Sides saw her former bond, she threw her opponent on the ground and pulled out a pistol. Red didn't know she had been a sleeper agent of Deathsaurus, that their bond had been false. This would be too easy. As she opened her mouth to make a remark, a pile driver slammed into her frame at high speed. Flung backward, she could only stare as the Security officer approached._

_ "I TRUSTED YOU!" the mech screamed. "YOU WERE MY LOVE! AND YOU REPAY ME BY BETRAYAL!" Another pile driver was driven into the femme's body. She could only scram in pain. From his doors emerged 6 claw-like blades, 3 on each arm. He stabbed her in each arm, then pulled slowly. Each limb was yanked out of their socket. She screamed more._

_ Two pairs of arms grabbed Red Alert before he could grab her head. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker had arrived to save their brother from insanity. However, Red activated his jetpack, which flung the two off. He seized his former bondmate's head. _

_ "See you in the Pit," he said, his voice cold and detached. He then crushed her head in a way that would make Megatron proud. The screaming stopped. Optimus arrived and held the security officer. The white mech cried into the truck's armor._

A voice jarred them out of their story. "I am hardly allowed on the battlefield because I would be so merciless, it would destroy all sense of morality." The five looked up to see Red Alert standing there, almost as icy as when he had killed his bond. "It's time to recharge for the night. Inferno, I'll see you at our dorm. Twins don't stay up. And _you_," he addressed the Aerialbots. "had best ask no more questions."

As the older robots walked out, the jets looked at each other, finally understanding.


End file.
